Machine for covering wire.



W. F. SMITH. MACHINE FOR COVERING WIRE.

I APPLICATION FILED JAN- 21, I915- mwm. ,f

3 SHEET S SHEET l- Fig/T 4/ Patented May 9, 1916.

w. F. SMiTH. MACHINE FOR COVERING WIRE.

APPLICATION FILED JAN. 21, I915- Mm 05 d e W. F. SMITH. MACHINE FOR COVERING APPLICATION HL'ED JAN. 21

WIRE.

Patented May 9,1916.

3 SHEETSSHEET 3.

@TATEtd iTlE-T WILLIAM 1*". SMITH, OF BROOKLYN, NEW YbRK, ASSIGNOR, BY MESINE ASSIGNMENT T0 WESTERN ELECTRIC COMPANY, INCORPORATED, A CORPORATION OF NEW YORK.

MACHINE FOR COVERING WIRE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented May 9, 1916.

Application. filed January 21, 1915. Serial No. 3,430.

This invention relates to power transmission systems.

It is an object of this invention to provide means whereby the proper cooperation of various operating mechanisms of a machine is assured.

In accordance with one feature of this in vention. a machine having a main shaft from which is driven a revoluble head and a take-up mechanism, a constantly rotating shaft and clutch men'ibers interposed between and adapted to operatively connect the shafts. is provided with a starting lever. the operation of which causes the engagement of the clutch members and temporarily increases the speed of the take-up HHL'luHiiSl'D.

Other i'uitures of this invention relate. to combinations of parts and details of con struction as will hereinafte' appear.

This invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings in which the same referencc characters are used tl'n'onghout to designate the same parts. and in which- Figure l is a side elevation of a winding machine embodying this invention; Fig. 2 is a view in section of a. portion of a clutch device according to this invention: Fig. 3 is a plan view of a portion of a flat annular friction disk; Fig. 4 is a side elevation of a portion of a starting device showing a starting lever in nonoperating position: Fig. 5 is a side elevation of the portion shown in Fig. -lshowing the starting lever being moved to operating position; Fig. (l ,is a side elevation of the portion shown in Fig. 4 showing the starting lever in operating posit-ion, and Fig. 7 is a plan view of the portion shown in Fig. 4- giving a view in section of a portion of the starting lever mechanism.

As will be noted from the drawings. a powci' transmission system. embodying this invention. is shown as applied to a winding machine. which comprises side frames 20 (only oneof which is shown) joined by means of upper rail plates 21.2] and a main supporting frame 23, which form supports for the various parts of the machine to be fully explained hereinafter. A main shaft 24, from. which the various parts of the machine are driven, is journaled in the main supporting frame 23. A winding head 25, for winding insulating material. 26 about a wire 27. and having an opening theretln'ouglrfor-the wire, is suitably mounted upon a plate 22 secured to the main supporting frame 23, and is connected with the main shaft 24: by means of gears 28, 29 and 30. A :apstan 3.5, for drawing the wire 27 through the winding head 25, is carried by a suitable shaft 36 journaled in capstan. brackets 37 (only one of which is shown), which are suitably mounted upon the upper rail plates 21, 21. The capstan shaft 36 is driven from the main shaft 24 by means of suitable gearing contained in a housing 38. To insure that theinsulated wire is. maintained in the groove of the capstan 35, 'a jockey pulley 39 is rotatably supported in one end of a jockey pulley arm 40 and in position to ride on the insulated wire in. the capstan groove. The other end of the jockey pulley arm 40 is attached to the up per end of an extension 41 of one of the aipstan brackets 37.

The insulated wire, after passing over the capstan 35, passes onto a take-up reel 42 mounted on a shaft which is driven through differential gearing, the differential having a main sprocket wheel 43 which is engaged by a chain'belt 44. The belt 44 also passes over a second sprocket wheel -15 which is connected through suitable gearing to the main shaft 24, whereby the take-up reel is driven from the main shaft. The differential gearing referred to forms a part of a differential tension regulator for maintaining a uniform tension on the insulated wire as it is fed on to the take'up reel 42, which is shown. and described in Patent No. 1,10%,078 issued to this applicant. A friction roller 46 and a friction disk 47 form part of means for evenly distributing the insulated Wire on the takeup reel. 42, such distributing means being identical with that shown and described in Patent No. 1,104,078, above referred to. Referring again to the differential tension regulator, the movement of a brake band 48, which is suitably tensioned by means of a spring 49 and an adjustment screw 50 associated with one end thereof, is

controlled by the insulated wirepassing over an idler pulley 51, which acts through a bell crank 52 pivoted on a bracket 53 mounted on the upper rail plate 21, a connccting r0d-5l and a bell crank 55 pivoted at 56, the short arm of which is connected to the other end of the brake band 18.

The mechanism hcreinbefore described is that found in insulating machines already in use. i

There will now be described mechanism embodying the present invention whereby the winding head 25, the capstan 35 and the take-up reel 42 are started at low speed, the rotation of these members being gradually increased to full speed, whereby the breaking of the insulating material is prevented,

wire and even insulated wire uniform insulation on the and uniform winding of the on the take-up reel assured.

Secured to the main supporting frame 23 is a clutch housing 00, the lower end of which forms a bearing for the main shaft 21 A hollow shaft 61, encircling the main shaft 24, extends down into the clutch housing 00, and is supported in a bearing 62 formed in the main supporting frame To the upper end of the hollow shaft 61 is keyed a spiral gear 63. which meshes with a spiral gear 6-l on a shaft 65 driven through suitable gearing from a motor 66.

The hollow shaft (31 carries a clutch collar 67, which is attached thereto by means of feather keys 08, 68. The collar 67 is provided with a circular flange 69, in which there are three openings 70, spa,ced 120 apart-for the reception of screws 71, 71. The flange 69 is also provided with three pockets 72, 72, spaced120 apart, each being 00? from one of the openings 70, 70". A

friction cone ring 73 having an inner cone face 74, is secured to the collar 67 by means of the screws 71, 71, and is adapted to move vertically with respect to the collar 07. This friction cone ring 73 is provided with three pockets 75, 7:),spaced 120 apart, which are opposite the pockets 72, 72 provided in the flange 69, and cooperate therewith for the reception of cushioning springs 76, 76. A shifting collar 80 collar 67 by means of a clutch collar ring 81, and is provided upon opposite sides thereof with projecting pins 82, 82 (only one of which is shown), each of which is engaged by one of the forked ends 83, 83 of a clutch lever 84 which is pivoted to the clutch housing (50 at 85. Immediately be low the hollow shaft 61, a bushing 90'is keyed to the main shaft 24. A sleeve 91 is keyed to the bushing 90 and is provided with a shoulder 92, upon which rests a frictioncone ring 93 adapted to rotate indepcnd ently of the sleeve 91. Vertical movement of the friction cone ring 93 is prevented by the shoulder 92 on the sleeve 91 and by a is secured to the clutch circular flange 89 90.

98 for the reception of short cylinders 01' inserts 99 of cork. wood, leather, fiber, felt or some other similar material. The short cork cylinders 99 have frictional engagement with flat annular friction disks 100, which alternate with the disks 9?, and which are secured to the friction cone ring 93 by means of six screws 101 passing through openings in the disks 100 and through the openings 96 in the friction cone ring 93, and having engagement with bushings 102 seated in the openings 96. A circular flange 88, formed on the lower part of thesleeve 91, cooperates with the flange 95 of the cone ring 93 to maintain the friction disks 9?, 97 and 100, 100 in proper position with only a minimum amount of pressure between the cork inserts 99, 99 and the disks 10 0, 100. Between the head of each screw 101 and thelower friction disk 100. there is a tension spring 103 which controls the degree of friction between the ring disks 100 and 97.-

Movcment of the screws 101 adjusts the tension of the springs 103 and, consequently, the degree of friction between the ring disks.

The tension of the springs 103, 103 is adjusted so that the friction between the disks 100, 100 and the cork inserts 99, 99 is greater than the friction between the cone faces 74 and 94 of the cone rings 73 and 93 respectively, when there is a great amount of slip between these cone faces, as at starting. but less than the friction between the cone faces when there is little or no slip between these cone faces. It will be readily apparent therefore that should the cones become jammed when setting the clutch, slipping takes place between thc disks 100, 100 and the cork inserts 99, 99. Such an arrangement insures that the main shaft 24 will, under all circumstances, be started speed. It is also to be noted that the adjustment of the tension between the disks at low and the cork inserts is such that when carsome slipping will take rying the full load,

disks and the cork in ward. which, through the cushioning springs ring 93, and the cork inserts 09, 99 of the disks 97, 97 carried by the main shaft 21. As the friction between the cone rings 73 and 93 increases, due to further raising of the outer end of the clutch lever 84, the speed of the main shaft Q-l increases. The cone ring 73 has only a limited vertical movement. The cushioning springs 76. 7G

1 serve to prevent to a degree the jamming iii of the cone rings 73 and 9 3, and the trio-- tion disks 97 and 100 act to prevent the sud-,

den increase in speed of the main shalt 2i should the cone rings 73 and 9 jam when starting the machine. The clutch eollar (37 has considerably more vertical movement than the cone ring 73, with the result that when the main shaft 21 has been started, and its speed gradually increased, the downward movement of the clutch collar 67 may continue until teeth 1.05, provided on the lower end thereof, engage with teeth 106, 106 provided on the upper face of the flange 89 of the hushing 90, wherehv the friction cone rings 73 and 93 and the friction disks 9'4", 97 and 100, 100 are entirely eliminated troin the transmissirm sys tem, and the main shaft '24 is driven direijet from the hollow shaft (51 through only the clutch collar 67 and the bushing 90.

In order to provide for the proper starting of the entire machine. a brael ret 110 is .n'iounted on the main supporting,lrame 23. A starting lever 111 is pivoted to one end of a shaft 112 mounted in the bracket 110. The starting lever 111 is flexibly connected with one end of the chi ch lever S-l through a springllii, there being); an adjustment screw 114 interposed between one end of the spring 113 and the clutch lever M, by means of which the tension of the spring 113 mav he adjusted.

in order to insure that the take-up reel 42 will start to revolw at the same time as the insl'zlating head and capstan are started, means are associated with thestarting lever 111 whereby it is impossible to start the head and capstan without also starting the take-up reel. To one erdp'l the starting lever 111 is pivoted a bell crank 115 having, three arms 116, 117 and HR. (la the end of the arm 11? is formed a wedge ,shaped projection 11!) which is adaptrd to register with slots 120 and 121 provided on a sector 1532 oil the bracket 110. The end of the arm 118 pivoted to one end oi a shaft 123, which is adapted "l or reciprocatmg movement through an opening in a projest-ion 1.24 of the starting lever 111. The bell crank 115 and the plunger 123 are normally held in the PUSltiOHS shown in Fig. l by th: action of a spiral spring 130, one end of which rests against-a bushing 131 resting against the end of the plunger 123, and the other against a projection 132 formed on the starting lever 111. A pawl 133, adapted for engagement with the teeth of a ratchet wheel 1 mounted on the shaft 11:2, and also adapted for reciprocating movement through an opening in the projection 132, connected at one end to the end of the plunger 123. A spring 135, the tension of which is less than that of spring 130, encircles a portion of the pawl 138 and has one end secured toia shoulder 136 oi the pawl 133, the other end thereof being secured to the bushing 131. To the other end ol the shaft 112 is secured a hell crank 1 5? having three arms .138 139 and 140. The arm 140 forms an auxiliary lcv'en the raising of which causes a tightening of the brake band 13 of the differential tension regulator, as will hereinafter he more fully explained. The arm 140 also acts as a weight to normally hold the bell crank 137 in the position shown in Fig. 4, with a pin l ll carried by the arm 138 resting against the side of the bracket 110. To the end. of the arm 139 oi the bell crank 137 is conneeted a rod 142 which passes through an opening in the end of a lever 143 pivoted to a lug ll lformed on the main supporting frame 23. A spring 145 encircling the rod 142 has one end resting against a shoulder 14 6 thereon and the other end against the end of the lever 143. The free end of the rod is engaged hv a nut H7. The other end of the lever 1-1- 3 normally floats between collars l i R and 1-1.) provided on the connect 1 ion; rod 1.

When the starting lever 111 is in the position shown in Fig. -'iwith the projection 119 in the slot 121'), it is locked in nonoperatingr position. To start the machine in operation. the starting lever 111 must he raiseih but before this can be done, the arm ill) must be moved about its pivot toward the free end of the starting lever to withdraw the projection ill) from the slot 120. When the arm 'llli so moved it causes -a 'lorward movement of the plunger 123 which forces the pawl 133 into engagement with one of the teeth of the ratchet Wheel 1534-. Now as the starting lever is raised, after withdrawing the projection 119 from the slot 120, the engagement of the pawl 133 and the ratchet wheel causes the shalt 112 to be rotated in an anticlockwise direction (see l igs. l. 5 and (3 whereupon the arm 13$) and the rod 1-12 acting: through the point. The free end of the lever 143 thereupon engages the upper collar 148 on the connecting rod 51 moving said rod upward, and rotates the bell crank in a clockwise direction to effect a tightening of the brake band 19 which insures that the take-up reel will begin to rotate as soon as the insulating head begins to rotate. The raising of the starting lever also causes a clockwise movement of the clutch lever 84 (see Figs. 1 and 2) about its pivot point 85 to move the constantly rotating cone ring 73 downward to engage the cone ring 93. lpon the engagement of these cone rings the main shaft 21 will begin to rotate, and as friction between the cone rings increases, due to increased compression of the springs 70, 70 the speed of the main shaft 21 will be gradually increased. Since the starting lever 111 is flexibly connected with the clutch leverSl by means of the spring 145, since the downward movement of the cone ring '73 is transmitted from the clutch collar (37 through the compression springs 76, 76 and since the force of springs 76,

of spring 113 opposes that 76 the probability of jam- 7 ming the cone rings 73 and 93, by a sudden raising of the starting lever. is reduced to a minimum. However, since the starting and clutch levers are flexibly connected, it is impossible to cause an immediate engagement of the teeth on the clutch ring 67 with those 4 speed.

on the flange 89 of the bushing 90; in other words. a sudden starting of the main shaft 21 at full speed. Should the starting lever be raised too fast, resulting .in a great amount of friction between the cone rings 73 and 93, slipping takes place between the disks 100. 100 and the cork inserts 99, 99 carried by the disks 97, 97 whereby the main shaft 21 is prevented from starting at full When the starting lever is raised to the position shown in Fig. 5, the clutch collar (i7 is in its lowermost position with the teeth 105, 105 thereof engaging the teeth 106, 100 formed on the flange 89 of the sleeve. 90, whereby the friction cone rings 73 and 93 and the friction disks 97 and 100 are eliminated. and the main shaft 21 is driven direct from the constantly rotating hollow shaft (31. \Vhen the starting'lever 111 reaches the position shown in Fig. 5, the arm 110 is released, whereupon the action of spring 130 causes the' bell crank 115' to assume the position shown in Fig. 6, with the projection 119 of the arm 117 in the slot 121 and locking the starting lever in operating position. At the same time, the action of spring 135 causes the pawl 133 to disengage the ratchet wheel 134 and to assume its normal position, as shown in Fig. 6, the shaft 112 thereuponrotating in a clockwise direction due to the weighted arm 140 thereby permitting the lever 143 to assume its normal position of floating between the collars 148 and 149 carried by the connected mechanism for rod 54. Thereafter the action of thebr'a'kF band 48 is controlled by the insulated wire in the same manner as it is.controlledby the twisted strands, as explained in Patent No. 1,101,078 hereinbefore referred to. To sto the rotation of the insulating head 25, the capstan 35 and the take-up reel 42, the projection 119 is removed from the slot 121 by raising the arm 116 and the starting-lever 111 then moved downward. As the starting lever 111 moves downward, a projecting arm 150 formed thereon: engages the clutch lever 81, causing it to move in an anticloclnvise direction about its pivot point 85 and to thereby of the teeth 105. 105 and 106, 106 and the friction cone rings 73 and 93.

In machines for winding insulating material about wires, it is of the utmost imcause the disengagement so' the wire and that the insulated wire is,

wound uniformly on a take-up reel. The power transmission systems heretofore used in such machines have permitted the Wind-. ing head to be started suddenly and at such speeds as cause a great amount of breakage of the insulating material. By the use of. a power transmission system embodying this invention, the difficulties heretofore eXperi-- enced are overcome and the desired results accomplished.

-\Vli at is claimed is:

1.'In a power transmission system, in combination a main shaft, a winding head and a take-up mechanism driven therefrom, a brake band associated with said take-up adjusting the speed thereof, a constantly rotating shaft, friction clutch members interposed between and adapted to operatively'connect said shafts, a starting lever controlling the engagement of said clutch members, and means operable only upon the operation of said starting lever said brake band.

2. .In a power transmission system, in combination a main shaft, a winding head and a take-up mechanism driven therefrom," abrake band associated with said take-up mechanism for adjusting the speed thereof,

a constantly rotating shaft, friction clutch members interposed between andadapte'd to operatively connect said shafts, a starting lever controlling the engagement of said clutch members, means normally preventing .t-he operation oi said-starting lever, and

apparatus controlled by said means in the operation of said starting lever for temporarily increasing the tension of said brake band.

3.1n a power t'ansmission system, in con'ibination a main shaft, a winding head and a take-up mechanism driven therefrom, a brake band associated with said take-up mechanism for adjusting the speed thereof, a constantly rotating shaft, friction clutch members interposed between and adapted to operatively connect said shafts, a starting lever controlling the engagement of said clutch members, means normally locking said starting lever in nonoperative position, apparatus controlled inthe operation of said starting lever by said means when in non-locking position for temporarily increasing the tension of said brake band, and teeth carried b said shafts and engaged when said starting lever is in operative position whereby said clutch members are eliminated, themovement of said means to locking position locking said starting lever to operative position and permitting the tension on said brake band to return to normal.

4. In a power transmission system, in rombination, a main shaft, a revoluble head and a take-up mechanism driven therefrom, means associated with said take-up mechanism for autonmtirally adjusting the speed thereof, a constantly rotating shaft, clutch members interposed between and adapted to operatively connect sai l shafts, a starting lever controlling the engagement of said clutch members, and means operable only upon the operation of said starting lever and cooperating with said speed adjusting means to temporarily increase the speed of the take-up mechanism.

In witness whereof, I. hereunto subscribe my name this 19th day of January, A. D. 1915.

WILLIAM F. CBIVIITI'I.

\Vitnesses:

E. EDLER, K. L. STAHL. 

